Just over 17 years ago, one of the most respected pillars of the science world, Carl Sagan gave an interview to newsman Charlie Rose. Sagan was best known to the public for his very popular television series, Cosmos, where he explored the mysteries and science relating to the universe around us. It covered a wide range of scientific subjects, including the origins of life and a perspective of our place in the galaxies.

Sagan's show made us think, to probe the questions plaguing us and to look at the future through science. Cosmos was then and still is today, the most widely watched TV series ever on PBS, viewed collectively by over 500 million people in over 60 countries.

Even today, his name has quite a bit of cache as so much of what he projected for the future and spoke about has come true. Below is that very poignant and timely (today) caution about heeding science and education or becoming a victim of it. He's both optimistic and skeptical. In under two decades since his passing, less than a year after this interview, you can see how right on the mark he was with his projections that the Republican doctines would be harmful to our future growth and understanding of how to achieve a viable future.

Think about drones, the NSA spying, the EPA, global warming, education funding and most of all, the uprising of the clueless masses (today known as the Tea Party). Though these didn't exist when Sagan spoke out about them, the dangers they present are foreshadowed accurately -- and look at us now. Maybe it's better late than never that we consider his sage words.

What we're dealing with is, as the title of Sagan's most famous book foreshadows, Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium. The new millennium is here. And what Sagan projected then is so real today. It's scary and hopeful at the same time.

As it gets closer to Halloween, we all think about costumes -- what are we going to dress up as this year, or how are we going to costume our children for the annual candy round-up? A soldier. A zombie. A ghost. A skeleton. That's pretty much common fare. Toss in a cowboy, a princess or a clown (truly the most frightening, especially if you suffer from coulrophobia) and you've got 90% of who you're going to see knocking on your door October 31st.

But if you want to be different, stand out from the crowd, you need inspiration. And where do you find that? Role models are a good place to look.

One mom and talented photographer, Jaime Moore, searched high and low for creative ideas to photograph her 5-year-old daughter Emma for the holidays. Neither were particularly inspired by the ethereal, fanciful world of Disney characters so it was onto plan B.

But who is worthy of honor?

Courtesy of an UPWORTHY post by Rossalyn Warren here are the 5 "Kick-ass" role models Jaime and her daughter Emma Moore came up with... then for future's sake, there's a final, sixth picture which demonstrates the hope and aspirations for so many young girls today.

Susan B. Anthony

Coco Chanel

Amelia Earhart

Helen Keller

Jane Goodall

And for all those little girls out there, so they can fantasize, here's Emma with tomorrow's dream today.

It just sounded so wacky I had to check it out, and I wasn't disappointed. It's unintentionally hysterical especially to someone of that persuasion. Me. Now, I'm not one to refrain from an occasional foray into postulating what the future might hold. Who knew that I'd live long enough to see some of the things come to fruition that as a kid I thought were pure Jules Verne?

I mean my childhood fantasies of the future have now come true in so many ways: personal computers, self-driving cars, cell phones that show you television shows, microwaves, voice controlled everything.

Admittedly it doesn't take a whole lot to impress me with the future. I was really excited when they came out years ago with the "Pocket Fisherman" -- a collapsible fishing rod from Ron Popiel? Remember him? Well now that we have the Google Glass Jew, I'm wondering what's next. A self-conversion circumcision app? One snip and you're a Jew? Yikes.

Well, close. In a few weeks, Reince Priebus, on behalf of the RNC, is going to announce the latest, newest and most innovative app yet -- Google Glass GOP!

It's Google Glasses that allows you to see things the way a Republican would see them. You could say they're one step forward and two leaps back.

I got to wondering what the world would look like. So I contacted a friend over at Google who's in the R & D division and he's sending me a pair. While I was waiting, I closed my eyes and got to imaging -- It started with some wavy music, fluttering light, and then I was magically transported to the future...with me wearing my Google Glasses GOP.

It's a sunny day. Well, we're led to believe it's sunny. The pollution is so thick that sans your glasses and their auto day/night vision setting, you can't actually tell if its day or night. Without any EPA regulations to get in our way, air quality is now measured in how many fingers you can make out in front of your face. Telling day from night requires you to carry a watch, illuminated with radioactive waste from one of the unregulated fracking polluted lakes or discarded nuclear waste from processing runoffs. It's cheap because there's such an abundance of it. But the good news is it's free. Just run tap water over the watch, assuming you have a tap to use, and it'll glow for hundreds of years.

As you continue on your way, your Google Glass GOP will warn you of falling birds dying in mid-flight because of the pollution. Those mutated, three headed pigeons are really messy and hurt when they hit you. Beware.

Anyway, Google Glass GOP will help you avoid nasty potholes and broken concrete sidewalks as you stroll along the deserted boulevards passed boarded up storefronts of failed concerns, victims or deregulation.

Google Glass GOP does help you avoid discarded businesses whenever possible. And should you be forced to pass one of these boarded up, out of business establishments, Google Glass GOP does let you tap a button allowing you to see what the buildings and business did look like back in their heyday which is sure to stir many a happy memory.

You find yourself hungry. Have no fear. Google Glass GOP will direct you to the closest hobo village and encampment. There you'll be able to trade whatever you still have left from your foreclosed home and bankruptcy from student loan debt to join in the mass civilian handouts found by Freeganists. You might know them as organized dumpster divers who share what scraps the Wall Streeters and other 2-percenters have discarded. Sometimes there's even a new Gucci sweater that's only been worn once by a high ranking "Too Big To Fail" corporate boss. Google Glass GOP can identify that for you.

You're never far from another "White Zone Only" community. Google Glass GOP will guide you to a security zone. If you can prove that you're White, Christian, straight, male, and have no compassion, you'll be granted entrance to GOPania, the Nirvana of American life. But you'll be facing random police checks. Questions about how you'd demean a woman, a gay person, a minority or anyone with open thoughts will flash over your Google GOP Glass and your access to free passage will be determined by your answers. You might even face incarceration without any notice should your responses not match up with those of the Supreme GOP Ruler -- Emperor Limbaugh. All hail Rush.

Life is heaven if you're wearing rose colored, Google Glass GOP. If you want the experience of your lifetime, you'll give anything for a chance to see life the way it's supposed to be. Special options include showing you your unborn child all gown up, should you have wished for one of those long outlawed procedures called an abortion. If ever that thought crossed into your mind, Google Glass GOP will immediately show you a video of your adult child saving your life from a burning fire, carrying you to safety from the conflagration. That's made possible because there will be no more fire departments with the closing down of the government and all of it's supported services. Lucky for you, Google Glass GOP steers you away from so many mistakes.

Face it, the future holds great things. And you can have them now, if you'll just close your mind to any rational thinking, put a smile on your face and grab yourself a pair of Google Glass GOP.

Oh, I was kidding about the self-circumcision app. In the GOP Glasses land, there aren't any Jews. By banning them, out goes circumcision and along with it, that outdated, barbaric unnecessary regulation. Men of the future, it looks like turtle-neck sweaters will be back in vogue.